Monster goldfish

kylith

I cleaned out my garden pond today because I'm looking to get rid of it. There's been a fish living quite happily in there with the minimum of human attention for the last 10 years. His name is Paul.

I got what I thought was a big enough indoor tank for him second hand, fished him out and plonked him in there. He's much too big.



I've worked out that he's approx. 7 inches long. How big a tank would I need, and how much would it cost me?

He's back in the cleaned pond now where he will stay until I can work out what to do with him. I really do want to get rid of the pond, but I don't want to keep Paul in a tiny bowl, or give him away since he's been with me for a decade.



Incidentally, I have a round fish tank that I have no use for. Don't ask me what it's got because I don't know much about tanks, but it appears to have a heater and some kind of air circulation system (there's a whole mess of plugs). Included would be the stones/gravel. Any reasonable offer considered. Ideally I'd love to swap it for an un-fancy tank that Paul can live in for, hopefully, the next 10 years.

Oh, and if you're looking for a garden pond I'm willing to swap that for enough soil to fill the hole it'll leave.

Silverfish

Ah poor Paul, losing his pond

Here's a handy article on size and life expectancy .

I'd say at 10 years, he's a about as big as he's going to get, although they do keep growing, but at a much slower rate than in the first few years.

I'd say you might get away with a 100 - 120L tank for him, but I'm not sure how well he'd cope with the change - it's a big change from a pond to a tank.

Be sure and read up on the Nitrogen cycle too before moving him to a tank.

kylith

Keeping him in the pond probably would be the best option, but I can't seem to stop ropey algae growing, and we're near trees so it get full of leaves; I took a full bucket of sludge out of the end of it today.

I guess I'll just have to hang on to the pond until I've saved my pennies for a giant tank for my giant fish.

Silverfish

kylith wrote: »

Keeping him in the pond probably would be the best option, but I can't seem to stop ropey algae growing, and we're near trees so it get full of leaves; I took a full bucket of sludge out of the end of it today.

I guess I'll just have to hang on to the pond until I've saved my pennies for a giant tank for my giant fish.

Did you try any pond treatments?

I'm sure I've seen numerous types of stuff to add to ponds to reduce algae growth.

It would be nice to keep him in the pond.

kylith

Silverfish wrote: »

Did you try any pond treatments?

I'm sure I've seen numerous types of stuff to add to ponds to reduce algae growth.

It would be nice to keep him in the pond.

I have tried stuff, but it doesn't seem to do much good. The pond itself probably isn't in a great place either as it's in a very shady corner. People keep falling into the bloody thing too. I was really hoping to have it gone this year and put in a nice flowerbed, but Paul is more important.

I'll just have to save up for a decent tank for him.

lmaopml

That's a rather large Goldfish you have there - love the name 'Paul' very unassuming..lol..

Kylith, I think your little pond is actually very nice; any way you could keep it? Maybe put a couple of potted plants around so folk don't accidently get soggy shoe syndrome...and investigate some treatments for the algae..It's really cute that little pond.

'Paul', is an excellent addition to your garden and a better talking point than any ole flower bed that they'll probably only stand on too!!

kylith

lmaopml wrote: »

That's a rather large Goldfish you have there - love the name 'Paul' very unassuming..lol..

He is rather large, yes. His full name is Paul McCartney. There were originally four fish, you see...

Silverfish

kylith wrote: »

He is rather large, yes. His full name is Paul McCartney. There were originally four fish, you see...

Ha!


Yeah the plant pot idea is a good one, I'm a pro at falling into people's ponds and some large rocks / plant pots around the edges usually stops me.

kylith

It'll definitely stay until I know what do with Paul. It is going to have to go at some stage though, unless I win the lotto and can completely redesign my garden so the pond's not directly in front of the shed door.

lmaopml

I know, it's hard to re-home a fish, especially one that thrived for ten years, you're Goldfish, 'Paul' ( love the name, brilliant ) is one of the very few out of millions that get to cross the decade barrier, he's really cute!

Shed doors are a pain in the bumcheeks, and ponds in front of them..

I hope you get really good advice as to the tank size etc and conditions to re-home paul...

I'm fascinated at the 'ten' year thing..I know they can live a lot longer but really that's 'wow'...Paul ain't any ole fish! Mind him!

kylith

lmaopml wrote: »

I'm fascinated at the 'ten' year thing..I know they can live a lot longer but really that's 'wow'...Paul ain't any ole fish! Mind him!

I will not mind him! Lol. I know that it's said that what kills goldfish is love, but it seems to be true. For 10 years he's barely had his water changed and he's never been fed, and he just keeps going and going. It's amazing.

kylith

Oh no! Paul's shrunk!!!



Nah, it's just Mr. Flay, the fish I've had in an indoor tank for the last 6 months. The size difference is so huge that I find it hard to believe they're the same species. After putting Paul back in the pond I decided to move Mr. Flay to the bigger one and am now thinking of getting some shubunkins to go in with him. Darn you all, you have me interested in this fish keeping lark now.

lmaopml

Well kylith, I have a lovely calico fantail and he has one totally black eye with no visible pupil and the other is normal with a pupil, but he is only a young goldfish - love Goldfish, they're really hardy and have so much character. He is cream, orange, black and a weird midnight blue colour too..He eats more than the comet, and for what he lacks in vision he makes up for in savy and the sheer size of his mouth.. (''.)

They do bully eachother though..

I got some good advice from a guy on the net who has his own personal site on first tanks etc. and various problems with fish keeping, environment, treatements and keeping them healthy..he actually replies to emails too, and seems to know his stuff..

Here's a link

http://www.firsttankguide.net/